Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-28

| National WOmen's Christian Temperance
| UniOn-contains a somewhat remarkable
article on Vermont laws and legislation
by ada c. Bittenbender, associate super
intendent of legislation, w. G.. T. IT,"
The article is remarkable for the
freedom with which it discusses
sexual subjects II freedom which
very few papers edited by male ty
rants would dare to initiate; for its will
fnl suppression of truth; and for its ignor-
ance of the laws it discusses. Lest the
first Of the these comments should be
taken to be a gratutous charge, we copy,
though with hesitation, the following sug
geston, alike astonishing whether the
proposition contained in it be made in
earnest or whether it is only al unsavory
Joke, upon subject which most respect
able people will agree should be discussed,
when discussion is necessary, only in sad
and serious earnest:
As an exception to the general disability
rule the Vermont laws provide that minors
having no parent competent to act and no
guardian, may "blnd themselves, with the
appreciation of the seectmen OF the town
where they reside" as apprentices or ser
wants Therefore, we make the suggestion
that if there are times in the life of an un-
married minor when unchaslity would he
| beneficial, to enact an exception to the
general rule prayed for by the w G. T. /.
| toy providing that before the Jaw will re
| COguiZe any minors consent to deiilement
as lawful. that the appreciation Of the
seectmen OF the town. or the "apprOOa-
ton Of the probate court be first secured.
/ Other and more indecent paragraphs
must 90 unnotic. in these columns.
If we could charitably accept for these
/ tie explanation thar the freedom therein
eXempltied is simply that of unconscious
innocence, no such plea can be accepted
for the statements copied below. Comment
ing on the remark in report of "A committee
OF our legislature, that "the legislature
would not serve any good purpose 10y
making the age Of consent in the statutes
against rape, a higher age than the one
regarded in law and society as the age
/ When the female may safely and accept
| ably enter into and pclform the duties Of
the marital state" Mrs Bittenbendrr
/ says
| Then, what is this safe ami acceptable
aye In Vermont it is eighteen years,
| since female is q minor, until reaching
mat age, and the law, after prohibiting
marriage without "a certificate issued by
the town clerk, says "A town clerk
SHALL not issue a marriage certlh-
cate 10 minor without the consent i'm
writing Of the parent or Guardian OF such
u!an"I' A. ne raw now lt%d7' a erIh"ht
to n,,,,r,. I'M IT,. cnns;darod cr,,,,ot,,i,f to
consent to her own ruiu after she is eleven
years old. Should she consent to marry
eIure 81 age, lhe Jaw klhdly PROVIDES that
80, - I'm Al '."9 NC ""'iui,'n
party had not nttaintd the ace of iegai
CONSENT Should she consent in the other
case, no protecting law shields.
Inns associate superintendent OF leGls-
latlon' shows sufficient familiarity with
the proceedings OF the last Vermont Leg
lslatureto make 1t well nigh impossible
that she should not know that the LeGiS
lature at Its last session, in accordance
with the report of the committee whose
action she criticizes, raised the age of con
sent in the statutes against rape, to toUr-
tee" years. II is not true that as the law
now reads a Vermont girl is considered
competent to consent to her own ruin after
She is eleven yea,.. old-and if Mrs Rit
$1,000
'''"'"''0l "'t9 MOI Nlo" H. She Is not M
to h. a superintendent of Vermont egis-
latinn \or i If trn. tbot amy, ,,,.,r,.;.,,
OF a minor can he annulled under our
law Our l.,y- do auda,vor =, ,,,a,.j
.,,i,,.t l,.,t,, ,,,.,,i..-
n4,.nrs ZOO ,.nnn,r ~ o..,,,,, ~
re.nnu.ib;litie. Of r,ot,i,,o,., ~. na
ouiriny rarriaga cartienata., my ~.
ronri,in,, 40 ,,, ,('',N'''' "l'i ~
or ,,,,,rdions II, tho aa.l 90 ,.,i,,,.' ,N ,.,,
if i. ana 70 ,'.1
and o,,ita 9"o,, va ~
co,,t,',,a,, j., ~ l -i''.
betwean nar.on. ~ busina, i,i,' ',-